Fate is a funny thing. The day the dulcimer fell out the sky was the day Ervs’n had chosen to seek his fortune. And such fortune was to be found! The first sight that graced his eyes, as he lay on the ground, was a female of astounding beauty. Though she lacked courtly aires and proved as elusive as a wood nymph, Ragha was a true ‘diamond in the rough’.

Since that fateful day many years ago, Ervs’n had been stripped of his ancestral name and given up for worse than dead by his uncomprehending people, though it meant nothing to him. What price is not worth paying for true love? He passed his weeks in courtship and in adventure, seeking to prove his worth. Two autumns past, however, an evil wizard laid a geas on the destined lovers, forcing them apart…though still within shouting distance.

With fewer means to court his beloved, Ervs’n resorted to the most romantic gesture he could conceive of—composing ballads on and serenading Ragha with the very dulcimer which had brought them together. Thought it was quite heavy to drag around and played with a certain ideosyncratic ‘twang’, he knew no geas could withstand the power of such a symbolic act. Or a long series of such symbolic acts.

It worked, but fate again surprised him. One evening he discovered a note wrapped around one of his hammers. It said, “The magic you seek lies in Undermountain. At the bottom.”

Adventure called again, with another chance to prove his love. He felt the magic of his ancestors stir within his blood and set out on the next boat for Waterdeep.

What deity she had slighted, Ragha was never sure. A merciful god would have afflicted her with Bloodlung or Pustulent Gob or tugged her beard out. But mercy had no part in this.

Instead, because of a fool mage’s apprentice randily attempting to conjure flowers in a wild magic area, she’d spent the last 20 odd years followed by a deranged Pointy-Ear with an unpronouncable name.

She’d spent barely a moment since that day among her people. Another dwarf could but see her and break into giggles. Giggles! There were even jokes, “How many Raghas does it take to lure the fey-folk?” (Answer: Just one, but the more dulcimers the better.)

Out of desperation she sent the fool on errands, hoping he’d get lost or hit on the head again. Each time he returned with gifts of gold and even mythril! Finally, out of desperation she paid a sympathetic wizard to lay a geas on them. He called it “Mordekain’s Restraining Order.”

It worked…almost. For the first time in many years Ragha spent evenings in the local tavern, telling war stories. It was almost perfect—but each evening would come the discordant ‘splink-sprang’ as Ervs’n warbled his way through “Ode to a Bearded Goddess” or “How do I Love her Ear Hair, Let me Count the Ways”.

In a last, desperate act Ragha left him an anonymous note. In the days after Ervs’n had gone, though, she felt his absence keenly and her conscious even moreso—she had sent him to die and, though deranged he be, he didn’t deserve Undermountain. For a Pointy-Ear, he wasn’t THAT bad; with some whiskers and a good belch he might even be…no, probably not even then. In any case, she had to make sure he didn’t get killed.

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Never argue with a woman who\'s holding your schmeckle...

She is the self appointed tour guide, and body guard of players in need. She has slain the Red on lvl 9, taking no loot, simply because Ol' Red was between her, and the player that needed rescued, and led out of Undermountain. Now that her fighting skills have been finely tuned, she desires to test her skills against other, hopefully less helpless people in the area, all in the name of sport.

Seeking to prove himself to his family, this Waterdeep native has run the gambit of Undermountain, from Murial's Gauntlet, to the Trollbark Dungeon. He has become quite powerful, and pretty influential. His family still thinks he's a loser...Guess you just can't win sometimes...

Character 1
Character name: Marathon
Alignment: TN
Intended classes: Monk (40)
Comments on character background: Born an exceptionally ugly elf, he quickly tired of the elven society and retired to the solitude of a monk's life. He found a sometime friend in Bumbis the Gold Dragon and visits his realm frequently. Seeking to keep the balance in all things, he no longer concerns himself with minor evil, content to run the lowest levels of the undermountain and destroy only that which can keep up with him.

A devastatingly frightening fighter full of rage, Enoch hails from the land that spawned the most famous barbarian of them all, Conan. Eager to live up to the legend, he has learned to hone his rage and scatter opponents through fear alone. If that is not enough, his taunting smirks and bloody warhammer combine to finish the job.

Kaya has sought the challenge of UM to increase her marital skills and further her understanding of the Dragon within. One day she may yet sing as a bard again, but anyone who has heard her earlier work hopes she keeps her day job.

Kaya is a master with the rapier and favor's the defensive bonus of a shield over the attack benifits of dual-welding. Kaya also has been known to wield a two-handed scythe or use a mace and shield. Her companions can always count on her to have a wide range of potions and scrolls on hand to augment her melee prowess.

Kaya's hair is as red as her name and as fiery as her temperment. Her favorite taunt while engaging opponents is "Bring it on!"

[ 08-01-2005, 10:02 PM: Message edited by: Chewbacca ]

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T'Lara was once resident druidess near the fabled Waterdale City in the land of IronWorks. A mage by the self-styled moniker of Sprint cast a foul spell upon her, sending her into a blackened pit far into the depths of the Unknown Forest. After near-endless wandering, she stumbled into Waterdeep with an unquenchable thirst for vengeance on the mage and his minions.......

Proof that good things *do* come in small packages, Berry has been ridiculed from day one because she does not fall into any pre-judged mold. Small in stature, womanly in shape, and warm-hearted, she tries to do what is right......all within a rogue's code of honor. New to the rogue's life, she has already begun making a name for herself by gathering information where others have failed, by eliminating threats that completely annihilated others, and by persevering regardless of nearly insurmountable odds.

Character 1
Character name: Vaeleth
Race: Human
Alignment: Lawful Evil
Classes:
1) Rogue
2) Assassin
3) Weapon Master
(and no I did not know that our musical friend Robert the Bard had made the same build...)
Comments on character background:
It would be very comforting if Vealeth would be insane. The gruelling reality is that he performs his actions in complete sanity. It makes you wonder about the nature of the human race... Vaeleth is a human of unknown birth. He was raised by a group of monks, called the Dark Brethren. They do not worship a god, they worship the act of destruction. They believe that before creation, there was a state of divine perfection. All was in perfect balance and harmony. Then, for some reason, the divinity divided itself and thus created the all that is. Therfore they see an act of creation as steeling from the divine and an act of destruction as true creation, Giving to God. Like a child wanting to return to the womb, the Monks of the Dark Brethren long to destroy everything, thus returning to pre-creationlike perfection. They believe one day a Great Destroyer shall come, a mortal wielding divine and devastating powers. And on that day of Holy Destruction all shall be made undone and all shall be well. Vealeth fiercely believes in this dogma, and therefore he has no remorse over killing anyone. He is the brotherhoods number one assassin. For as they believe the Destroyer will come as prophecised, they also percieve it as their duty to prepare the world for His coming. The leader of the dark monks is a Drow and he has psychic powers. He decides who can be killed without indangering the prophecy and who should be killed to ensure it to come true. What Vaeleth's mission in Undermountain is is unsure, but anyone travelling with him can be quite sure that their deaths have not yet been cleared by Vealeth's leader. Otherwise they would have found that Vaeleth had cut theit throats in their sleep, uttering the words "Don't struggle my friend, this is for the best..."

Character 2
Character name: Eldar Dragonblood
Race: elf
Alignment: True Nuetral
Intended classes:
1) Bard
2) Red Dragon Disciple
3) Weapon Master
Comments on character background:
Eldar Dragonblood is an elf from a far away city above the clouds in the Dragonbone Mountains. Exactly how is unsure, but it is plain to see that he is of partly draconic birth. His mother died in labour, due to his uncommon features, and his strange looks made him an outcast in elven society. One day he lost his temper and killed another elf, which resulted in banishment. His long yourney has led him through many strange places, but being out in the wild for so long has left him a bit alienated from the civilised world. The only way communication he is truely comfortable with, is his song. But he still thinks it sounded a lot better with the acoustics of the Hall of Ice under the Northern Glaciers of Thor..

Character 3
Character name: James Goldblood
Race: human
Alignment: Chaotic Good
Intended classes:
1) Ranger
2) Fighter
3) Weapon Master
Comments on character background:
James Goldblood was born in a noble family, but he left the safety of his parental home to wander through te bellows of Undermountain. He is an arrogant pompous prick that everybody hates within two minutes. Yes he will watch your back, yes he will save your life, yes he will help you in any way he can, but he will then brag about it so much that you would have preferred to die in the claws of that Manticore. He has his good side though, he'll crack out a joke even in the most unpromising siuations and he has a good heart and a lightspirited mind. There is only one thing he really hates: undead. He loathes them and will always do whatever he can to eradicate them. Why didn't he become a priest or paladin then, you might wonder. Well he tried that once, but he was kicked out within the hour due to serious blashemy. Another hour and the zeallous priests would have lynched them, even though they believe in peace and harmony. And if you travel with him long enough you will understand why. If I hear him say "Yay for ME" one more time, I swear I will get that Greatsword from level 12 and skew him myself! (And I created him... Go figure.)

Character 4
Character name: Record Rico
Race: Dwarf
Alignment: chaotic good
Intended classes:
1) Fighter
2) Dwarven Defender
3) Champion of Torm
Comments on character background:
Rico is not a standard name for a Dwarf, but then again Record Rico (full name Rico Stronginthearm Foundersson) is not a normal Dwarf. Because of his name Rico has been never truly been accepted in Dwarf society. He decided to leave the mountain caves and build a reputation as an adventurer. How he actually got is first name he does not want to tell you, how he got his nickname he is more then willing to tell, so grab a beer and a stool and settle in. No I will spair you the long version... To cut a long story short: a mage hired him to dispatch of a group of annoying orcs. Rico set up an ambush in a small passage between to cliffs they had to cross. The mage had given him some top notch equipment for the job. Imagine a fully geared up Dwarven Wall and a horde of orcs trying to get across. The orcs in the back couldn't see what was happening and they were hungry so they struggled to be the first to dig in on the fresh meat. When they reassessed the situation it was too late. And running away just made the difference between greataxe in the face or throwing axe in the back.. In the end all the orcs were dead and Rico was the new record-holder of the world record orc slaying (in one day and on your one) with an impressing body count of 746 (and a half. One got away heavily wounded, he died the next day). Upon Rico's return to the wizard's tower, the backstabbing wizard refused to pay him, but he made the fatal error telling him that while Rico was still wearing all his armour and still carrying his weapons. Record Rico left the wizard tower in ruin with some nice armour, some nice axes and a very nice shield. But Rico is mostly just a nice guy, so long as you don't doublecross him or get between him and his beer...

Character 5
Character name: The Grim Reaper
Race: human
Alignment: Chaotic Evil
Intended classes:
1) Fighter
2) Weapon Master
Comments on character background:
The person calling himself the Grim Reaper is a complete nutjob. You've seen them before: people thinking they could fly, people thinking they were a god or something, but someone thinking he is Death himself (you know, the skinny guy, often featured on tarot cards wearing a robe and carrying a scythe, speaks in CAPITAL LETTERS, WHICH FORM IN YOUR MIND AS IF THEY ARE CHISELED IN A TOMBSTONE... Yep that guy). Whether he is really Death or not is impossible to say, but either way the result is just as deadly.

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May the roads rise with you. May the wind be always at your back. And may the Lord hold you in the hollow of his hand. (old Gaelic blessing)